With All Of My Heart
by 17child-of-the-moon17
Summary: I love you with all of my heart..." A quick little Sasuke and Sakura one shot. No warnings to speak of.
1. One Look

I had achieved my lifelong goal: I killed my brother.

And yet, I was unsatisfied.

I learned of Itachi's true motives from an Akatsuki member, though I'm not entirely sure why I trusted the orange-masked nin. And I had reason not to: he was the famed Uchiha Madara, in the flesh.

I had built, with the help of Itachi's charade, of course, an image of my brother. It was one of a grotesque, sadistic, emotionless murderer, with blood-red eyes full of superiority. "Hate me," he had said. And I did.

Perhaps it was because the masked man had known so much about what had happened, down to the smallest detail, that convinced me

Either way, my brother was dead.

I couldn't bring him back, even if I wanted to. Let me rephrase that: even _though_ I still want to.

Before Itachi had died, he had done the same obnoxious thing that he had done to me back when we were younger and not so hate-filled; he had grinned and poked me in the forehead. I was terrified as I watched his bloody fingers coming agonizingly slowly towards his goal: my eyes. Now that I had a chance to look back on it, he was apologizing. Now that I could see the reasons, Itachi didn't look like that horrible monster anymore. Now that I knew why he had done all the things that he did, I could see that he was just trying to protect me by making me stronger.

He had really wanted to be my big brother. It was just that the situations leading up to the massacre had prevented that.

Konoha had prevented that.

And yet, here I was, standing on the walls of that very Hidden Village, staring into the darkness and searching.

For what?

I had become lonely and lost without the drive to kill my brother. Looking back now, I could see that it was so juvenile of me to only think of only the one morbid desire. I should've planned ahead. Yet, I had never allowed myself to hope that I could do it, that I could beat him.

But I did, and here I stood, enveloped in the hushed darkness that covered Konoha in a shroud of security.

I still had Karin and the others, though I wouldn't go so far as to say that I _cared_ for them all too much. It was those three who looked up to me, who cared about me, who seemed to need me.

But I left them for now, in search of something more… familiar, reassuring, I don't know.

Truth be told, Karin annoyed me. She reminded me so much of the girls that I grew up with, fawning over me and gazing dreamily at me when she thought I wouldn't notice. She was too much like them, too much like _her_, and I wanted the real thing.

The second part of my goal was to restore my clan, but I knew that that in and of itself was such a farfetched idea that I should just leave it be. They wouldn't be pure Uchiha children. Some may not even inherit the Sharingan. Then I caught myself thinking that maybe I was still to young to be thinking about fathering a whole clan. And I was, still am. I'm only eighteen. I know nothing of parenthood.

I sighed.

Chakra masked, I leapt from the wall to the nearest roof, landing silently and sprinting over to the next one. I had to see how they were doing, how my teammates were. True, I had technically abandoned them, but in my mind, we were still Team 7. I had emotionally and physically wounded the both of them, but it had been necessary.

I came across Kakashi's apartment first. I glanced in through the window to find that he wasn't home. He was probably on a mission, or out somewhere. No one really knows with that one. He's more secretive than I am, and that's saying something.

I leapt off the windowsill and ran from rooftop to rooftop, searching for either Naruto or Sakura. I found the blonde's place shortly, and silently entered through the small bedroom window. He was snoring loudly, blankets strewn all over the place, and his shirt riding up, exposing his stomach to the night air. Drool was slowly dribbling down his cheek from his open mouth onto his pillowcase.

What an idiot.

I'm surprised the Akatsuki wouldn't just come to his house at night and steal him then. They could certainly manage it.

I looked around the messy bedroom, and I felt a small grin tug at the corner of my lips. "Dobe," I whispered.

I left through the window, making sure to close it behind me. I stopped on Naruto's roof. Now, if I remembered correctly, Sakura had lived not too far from Naruto, and also not too far from the Uchiha compound. I had lived rather close to the compound myself after the massacre, and remembered distinctly how she would bring me food every once in a while. I always accepted them, but never showed any gratitude, hoping that it was just a phase that the rosette was going through.

Judging by the way she had looked at me when we first saw each other a couple years back at Orochimaru's hideout, it hadn't been.

I was here for a reason.

So, I set of in the direction that I was sure she lived in. I found her parents' house, but she wasn't there. Considering how her room had next to nothing in it, she had moved out.

Or she had died.

No. I couldn't believe that. Sakura couldn't die.

Now what?

I looked back through the window to her room, hoping that the answer would make itself known somehow. I listened for the sound of her mother's and father's steady breathing, finding them asleep a few rooms down.

Maybe they would have something telling me where Sakura was.

I noiselessly made my way through the house to their room first, checking through drawers and stacks of papers. Finding nothing, I moved to the kitchen, hoping to come across an address book or something of the sort. I finally found a leather-bound booklet that held numerous phone numbers, names, and addresses.

I rifled through the book and found Sakura's name written neatly in what I assumed to be her mother's handwriting. Her phone number and street address, as well as her apartment number, were printed primly on a white piece of notepaper. Memorizing the address, I put everything back where I had found it and took off.

She wasn't living too far from her parents' house. She was closer to the hospital and the Hokage tower. When I looked in through her window, I saw that she wasn't home.

At least she wasn't dead.

Should I stay and wait for her to come home? Should I leave a note? Should I just leave?

I wasn't sure what to do.

Frowning, I glared at the smooth glass of the window, seeing the red of my Sharingan reflected back at me.

I opened the window, slid in, closed it, and went to wait in a dark corner for her to return. I didn't care how long I had to wait. I would see her.

It turns out I didn't have to wait long. In fact, it was only a matter of minutes before I sensed her familiar chakra signature ascending the stairs to her apartment. She seemed weary, as her chakra pulsed slowly and irregularly. She must be working at the hospital.

I heard her carefully unlock her door and step in, closing the door behind her and setting down what sounded like a bag of some sort. I heard her barefooted footfalls as she paced tiredly across the carpet in the living area to her room. My heart-rate sped up without reason.

I schooled my features into a calm, emotionless mask. I had practiced this very expression, or lack thereof, when I had been much younger. It would be familiar for her. Maybe it wouldn't scare her.

She stopped in front of her closed door, twisting the knob slowly. My dark corner was across from the doorway and near the window, so if she didn't want to see me, I could easily slip out. I saw her shadow cast in the light from the hallway appear on the hardwood floor as she made to step in. Her hand reached around on the wall for the light switch as she stepped fully through the doorway.

She was beautiful. I had always secretly admired the way her strange pink hair contrasted so nicely with her intelligent green eyes. She had always been so self-conscious of her forehead, but she had grown into it nicely. She was much taller than I remembered, though I hadn't really had a chance to see how tall she had gotten the last time we met, however briefly it was.

Her groping hand soon found the light switch, and I was not longer protected by the shroud of darkness.

She was quick to find me, her head snapping to my corner where I was leaning patiently against the wall. I watched her jade eyes widen in first recognition, then fear. Her breath hitched, and all weariness seemed to disappear.

I wanted to tell her that she didn't need to fear me, that she was safe. But that would be a lie. She should be afraid. I could kill her before she could say 'Sasuke'. But I wouldn't. Not tonight. Probably not ever.

"S-Sasuke-kun," she whispered, almost as if I were some sort of apparition that would disappear at the slightest sound.

"Sakura," I answered quietly. I noticed how husky my voice had gotten without me willing it. I briefly wondered if she noticed it.

"W-what are you d-doing here?" she stuttered timidly. I hadn't ever heard her stutter that much.

I came to take you with me. "I came to see you," I replied, stepping forward slowly, uncrossing my arms to hang them limply at my sides. I didn't want to make her feel threatened.

That didn't work.

I saw her hands ball into fists as green chakra enveloped them. Ah, Sakura.

I held my hands up in a placating gesture. "I'm not here to hurt you, Sakura, I promise," I said, stepping forward slowly. "I just wanted to see how you were doing."

A confused expression creased her brows, and stared at me like I was a difficult puzzle. I looked pointedly at her fists, and she withdrew her chakra.

I stepped closer. We were separated by a few feet now, and her head tilted up to look me in the eye, and then off to somewhere behind my head.

My eyes. I forgot. I sighed, grinning, and turned off the Sharingan. "Better?" I asked.

She flicked her eyes back to my now black ones. "Yes."

We stared at each other for a few moments. I stepped closer, and she warily craned her neck to look at me. It was sort of funny how much I had grown. I was now taller than Itachi had been.

Itachi.

I frowned.

"What's wrong?" she asked, curious green eyes still retaining some wariness.

I debated. What exactly was it that had me so unhappy? Was it the lack of a brother? Guilt? Or was it just loneliness?

"I'm… alone."

It was out. What will you do next, Sakura?

I watched as indecision flitted through her expression, then wariness, then… what was that one? A strange mixture of sorrow and fear?

With a tinge of resolution just barely making its way through her expressive viridian eyes, she closed the distance between us and wrapped her arms tentatively around my waist.

My heart skipped a beat.

She just _hugged_ me. Did this mean…?

Slowly, cautiously so as not to startle her, I returned the gesture and embraced her, placing one hand on the back of her head and the other on her back, bringing her head to my chest and her body closer to mine. She closed her eyes, and I guessed she was listening to the now steady rhythm of my heartbeat.

"Thank you, Sakura," I said, resting my head on top of hers.

She twitched, remembering the time that I had said 'thank you', apparently. What? Did she think I would do that again?

I rubbed my hand up and down her back, trying to soothe her. "I swear, I will never hurt you again," I promised. "Never."

She looked up at me, barely suppressed hope rising to the surface of her expressive eyes.

"Sasuke-kun?"

That look. That one look was all it took. "I love you with all of my heart, Sakura." I bent down and kissed her for the very first time.

Distantly, I thought amusedly about how very jealous Karin would be when she saw Sakura. Of course, maybe she never will. Maybe… I'll stay…

~END~

~***~***~***~

So, what'd you think? A little mushy, I'll admit, but this SasuxSaku idea has been gnawing at my brain for a few days and I've been waiting for a chance to write it. I just wrote this all in one sitting, I'll have you know. It's slightly AU, but whatever.

Hope you enjoyed!

(reviews? *insert incredibly adorable puppy face here* pwease??)

Haha

Anyhoo, much love,

17child-of-the-moon17 (aka child_of_the_moon on mediaminer)

XO


	2. Sigh

It had been nearly six years, as of this month.

Nearly six years since _he_ left.

How such a well-loved boy could leave the only home he had ever known is still beyond me. How he could leave his only friends, his village, the girl who loved him…

Tch. I was so naïve back then. I fawned over him like he was a god. I devoted my heart and soul to him. And for what? So he could just up and leave me like I was nothing?

I told myself that it didn't matter, that it was just a phase that all teenage girls went through.

It still hurt, though. Even now, I still felt the same ripping sensation that I did when he left. It was like part of my heart was torn out of my chest and taken with him.

I sighed.

"Something wrong, Sakura-san?"

I looked up from my paperwork. "Huh?"

Shizune frowned. "You've been sighing like that all night. Are you feeling okay?" she asked as she brought her hand to my forehead.

"I'm fine, Shizune-san. Just… thinking."

"Well, your shift's almost over, so why don't you head home now?"

I blinked. So much for work keeping my mind off of Sasuke. I sighed again before I could stop myself, which made Shizune smirk. "Okay." I got up and put the patient files back together and brought them over to the filing cabinet. I took off my white lab coat and hung it up on the coat rack near the office door. It wasn't often that I could spend a good portion of my night doing just paperwork. Normally Shizune was the one that took care of everything. The only problems tonight were a couple of patients with broken bones and an elderly woman with a case of pneumonia.

I put on my jacket and waved goodbye to Shizune, who smiled and waved back, saying, "Have a good night, Sakura. Get some sleep; you look really tired lately."

"Sure, sure." I headed out the door.

Even though we only had a few patients, the work was still taxing. My chakra was running dangerously low, and I was terribly fatigued because of it. I took a deep breath and began the short walk home.

The night air was cool on my skin, and I pulled my jacket closer to my body. Clouds were covering the stars tonight, which made the whole world seem much darker than usual. I quickened my pace, thinking about the little boy with a broken femur that I had taken care of.

His name was Soushi, and he was only five. The poor boy had been playing with his friends at the playground in the afternoon when he had fallen from the monkey bars and landed the wrong way on his leg. Somehow, he managed to break his thigh bone. The kid was in so much pain that he passed out.

His father brought him in. I was at first extremely irritated that he hadn't waited for help so that medics could bring the boy in on a stretcher, but that anger was short-lived. Turns out that the father knew that he had to put a brace on the boy's leg so that the bone wouldn't harm and of the surrounding tissue more than it already had. That was one less problem that I had to deal with.

It was a bad break, with the bone partially severing the femoral artery and cutting into some muscle beyond. Once we had him in the operating room, I was able to stop the bleeding and set the bone back into place. Poor kid probably won't be going to the playground any time soon.

I sighed again, coming out of my thoughts. I looked up to find that I was close to my apartment complex. Now came the long climb up the stairs to reach the sixth floor, where my apartment was located. Most of the other tenants were fast asleep by the time I made it up to my door. It made me wonder exactly how late it was.

Fishing the key out of my jacket pocket, I unlocked the door and stepped inside, flicking on the light so I could see where I was going without tripping over anything. Once I could see, I closed the door and set my bag down, stepping out of my shoes as I did so. My apartment was spacious, with a large living area and bedroom, as well as a fully furnished kitchen and dining room. It sure pays to be the Hokage's apprentice.

I sighed again as I walked across the carpeted living room to get to my bedroom. What is it with me sighing today?

I caught myself trying to sigh again as I thought exasperatedly about my sighing issue. I squelched the urge. 'Ha!', I thought. 'Gotcha!'

I stopped in front of my bedroom door and twisted the knob, reaching out over the corner to find the light switch and simultaneously opening the door farther so I could step in. My tired fingers ghosted over the wall until I found the switch, flicking the light on and stepping in fully.

Something caught my eye in the farthest corner of my room. Something dark. And rather large. 'The hell is that?' I thought frantically before whipping my head around to find…

No way. No. Nuh-uh. Can't be. That's not…

"S-Sasuke-kun?"

His deep red eyes stared into my green ones. What the hell is he _doing_ here? Doesn't he hate us? He left, and almost killed Naruto twice when the blond tried to bring him back.

And he could kill me if he wanted to.

Why else would he be here?

"Sakura." He said my name, and his voice was so much deeper than I remembered. And… I need to know…

"W-what are you d-doing here?" I asked, and I mentally berated myself for stuttering. If he wanted to kill me, the least I could do was talk normally, seem fearless.

His eyes didn't seem as devoid of emotion as they were the last time I saw him, back in the ruins of Orochimaru's hideout. "I came to see you," he replied, deep voice smooth and calm. He pushed himself off from the wall and dropped his crossed arms, letting them hang loosely at his sides. He started to walk towards me.

Came to see me? More like came to kill me! But why? What did I ever do to him? Was I that annoying when we were younger, when I was a stupid Genin?

To hell with being tired. I balled my hands into fists and pushed what little chakra I had left to them. If he came here to kill me, then he'll leave with a few broken bones at least.

His eyes widened infinitesimally, and he brought his hands up to face me, palms out. He was trying to calm me. "I'm not here to hurt you, Sakura, I promise. I just wanted to see how you were doing." He started stepping forward again slowly.

Wanted to see how I was doing? Say what? Why the hell would he want to see how I was doing? Since when did he care? I'm so confused…

He looked at my fists, still enveloped in my green chakra. Oh, right. Well, if he wasn't here to hurt me, then I guess…

I let the chakra dissipate. Well, he wanted me to disarm myself, so he should do the same. Who knows what he can do with those eyes of his now? I stared over his shoulder, avoiding his eyes.

He got the hint. After a second he asked, "Better?" I carefully flicked my gaze back to his eyes, finding them their natural charcoal color.

"Yes."

We stared at each other for a few minutes, just taking the other in. I noticed how he was now only a couple feet away from me, so now I had to seriously crane my neck in order to look him in the eyes. He had gotten so much taller since the last time…

He suddenly sobered and frowned, his eyes more expressive now than I had ever seen them. They were filled with such sadness, that I found it hard to just stand still and not do anything to help him.

"What's wrong?" I asked, not even taking into consideration that he could just be lulling me into a false sense of security. It was wrong of me to think that, though, when he looked so genuinely sad.

He seemed reluctant to answer at first, then he seemed like he was trying to figure out what it was that was wrong.

After a moment's hesitation, he finally responded. "I'm…" he paused, thinking. "…Alone."

And he was. I had heard that his brother was finally defeated, and that Sasuke had disappeared after that. He had just left without a trace. Again.

He had no one. No family, probably no friends…well, except for us, I guess. We were still friends, right? Right?

Poor Sasuke…

I want to comfort him… but he never let me before… maybe… I could…

I reached out and wrapped my small arms around his waist, pulling him closer to me so I could at least _try_ to ease his pain. Just to comfort him…

I felt his large hands return the gesture, one hand on the back of my head pulling my face to his chest, and the other on the small of my back pulling my body closer to his.

God, he's so tall…

I sighed inaudibly, just daydreaming about this actually meaning something. I listened to the strong, reassuring beat of his heart, just listening to the physical proof that he existed here with me in this moment…

And then he had to ruin it.

"Thank you, Sakura," he said while bringing his head down to rest it on top of mine. I flinched. He was going to hurt me like he did that last time… He's only ever said those two little words once before, and the encounter ended with me being knocked unconscious and left out in the cold on a bench. Oh, no. Not again. He's leaving again. I knew it. He's leaving, he's leaving, he's leaving me _alone_...

"I swear, I will never hurt you again. Never," he promised. Sasuke just promised something that had nothing to do with revenge. I was shocked.

But wait… what did this mean? For us? For me?

I looked up, hardly able to keep my hopes to myself. Here I was, acting like little Genin Sakura again…

"Sasuke-kun?" I asked, hoping against hope that he meant that he would stay…

And then he repeated my words from before, the truest words I have probably ever spoken to anyone… "I love you with all of my heart, Sakura," he said, and I watched as his mouth came closer and closer to mine…

And he kissed me. My God, Uchiha Sasuke just _kissed_ me. I can't believe it. Please don't let me be dreaming this!

But I knew it wasn't a dream. I knew that Sasuke was here for real, giving me my first kiss and promising something that I could never hope for: he loved me too.

~***~***~***~

Well, that was Sakura's POV. I received little to no responses to my question, but this is for the few of you who did. ;) Thanks a million for reviewing, and I hope all of my wonderful readers enjoyed this.

Much love,

child_of_the_moon/17child-of-the-moon17

XO


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